Accord gets upgrade

Honda is now rolling out the 2009 models of its best-selling Accord, which boasts quite decent highway fuel economy even for the V-6 model.

The V-6, with a tantalizing 271 horsepower (up from 268 on the ’08 model), comes with a cylinder-deactivation system that cuts out either three or four of the cylinders during highway cruising to increase fuel economy.

That results in an EPA rating of 29 miles per gallon on the highway, which is just 1 mpg below the 30 rating of the Accord’s four-cylinder engines (with automatic transmission).

Even the city ratings are not that much different between the V-6 and four-cylinder Accords: 19 mpg for the V-6, and 21 for the four (with automatic; the manual is rated at 22 city/31 highway).

These minimal differences in mileage are heartening for those who want the extra power that a V-6 offers, but are concerned about fuel economy and have been considering a four-cylinder to help ease the pain at the gas pumps.

To a certain extent here, you can eat your cake and have it, too. Whether you actually achieve those EPA ratings, though, depends on your driving style. If you drive aggressively, then your mileage will suffer (with a V-6 or a four-cylinder).

The 2009 Accord also is one of the roomiest sedans on the market. Although it’s marketed as a midsize car in the same class as the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima, it’s as roomy as some larger cars such as the Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima, Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Impala and Ford Taurus.

The Accord’s total interior volume, including the trunk, is 120 cubic feet, an increase of 3.3 cubic feet from the 2007 model. That moved the official EPA classification from the midsize-sedan class to the large-sedan class, the company said.

The Accord sedan’s rear legroom of 37.2 inches approaches that of the Honda Pilot crossover utility vehicle, at 37.4 inches.

As gasoline prices have backed off a bit recently, surveys have shown that people no longer are rushing to replace their larger, more comfortable vehicles with ultrasmall econoboxes that offer great fuel economy.

While there probably aren’t many of us who believe that gasoline prices will decline much more, or even stay at current levels, some of the consumer panic over the higher pump prices has subsided, and consumers now are being more realistic about their car purchases.

The knee-jerk reaction by many buyers to choose very small cars as gas prices peaked in June and July has subsided somewhat, and consumers now seem to be ready to balance their transportation needs with the higher cost of fuel. That means shoppers are putting larger cars back on their lists, including midsize sedans and crossovers.

Honda believes that the Accord is a good compromise for those who might have been considering a smaller car, such as the company’s own subcompact Fit or compact Civic, but really need more space to accommodate their families or business activities (would you want your real estate agent taking you and your spouse house hunting in a Fit?).

This newest generation, which made its debut for 2008, is the most stylish, roomiest and most powerful Accord yet.

Offered in sedan and coupe styles, with four- and six-cylinder engines and a wide range of prices, the Accord seems to have a model or configuration for almost anyone shopping for a midsize or larger car.

At 194.1 inches, it’s 2.3 inches longer than the previous Accord, 5 inches longer than the current Toyota Camry, and just 3 inches shorter than the Avalon.

But its wheelbase, which is the best indicator of interior space, is 110.2 inches, less than an inch shorter than that of the Avalon. It’s almost the same width as the Avalon, and less than a half-inch shorter in overall height.

The Accord’s cabin space of 106 cubic feet is just a foot less than that of the Avalon, but 5 cubic feet more than that of the Camry and Nissan Altima, the Accord’s two primary Japanese competitors.

The main reason for making the Accord larger was to give rear-seat passengers as much room as those riding up front, Honda says. The difference is readily apparent in leg- and knee-room. The rear seat isn’t quite limousine-like, but it’s definitely designed for adults — even large and tall ones.

The Accord, now in its eighth generation, has grown considerably since its introduction in 1976 as a three-door hatchback. That car was just 162.8 inches long, with a 94.3-inch wheelbase and a 68-horsepower four-cylinder engine. The first Accord sedan appeared in 1979.

When the second generation appeared in 1982, it became the first Japanese-brand car to be assembled in the United States, at Honda’s first U.S. factory in Marysville, Ohio.

While the sticker price of the first Accord was $3,995, prices of the 2009 models range from $20,755-$30,755 (plus freight) for the sedan, and $22,255-$28,805 for the coupe.

Rather than being just an Accord sedan with two doors, the coupe has a different exterior except for mirrors and door handles and has a 2.3-inch shorter wheelbase than the sedan.

The Accord offers a choice of two four-cylinder engines, but their EPA ratings are the same even though one has 13 more horsepower.

Transmission choices include a five-speed manual (six-speed on V-6 coupes) or a five-speed automatic. The Avalon and Camry come with a six-speed automatic, but the Altima has a five-speed.

For the base Accord sedan, the engine is a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder with 177 horsepower and 161 foot-pounds of torque. The optional version of this engine is rated at 190 horsepower and 168 foot-pounds of torque.

The Accord sedan is offered in four trim levels, and the coupe three levels.

For the sedan, the models are the base LX and the slightly better equipped LX-P, with the 177-horsepower engine; the EX, with the 190-horsepower four-cylinder or 271-horsepower V-6 engine; and the top-of-the-line EX-L, also with a choice of the 190- or 271-horsepower engine.

“Perfectly round” gauges were “classically styled,” the company said; and to help drivers differentiate between controls during night driving, the heating/air-conditioning controls are lighted aqua green while the audio-system controls have white lighting. Steering-wheel audio controls are standard on all models.

There is a lockable, fold-down rear seat that expands cargo space from the trunk.

Standard is an AM/FM/single-CD audio system with 160 watts and six speakers.

A six-disc, in-dash CD changer comes on EX sedan and base and EX coupe models, while the premium system, with 270 watts, a six-disc changer and seven speakers (including a subwoofer) is standard on EX-L sedan and coupe models. XM satellite radio also is standard on EX-L models.

Optional on the EX-L sedan is a voice-activated navigation system with an 8-inch screen and a Bluetooth phone link.